


White Hot Determination

by Witchtomez



Series: Yoosung Week 2019 (SFW) [3]
Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Sick Fic, White Day, Yoosung is the best at pampering his partner, don't at me about this, prompt: white day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-10 19:20:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18666757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Witchtomez/pseuds/Witchtomez
Summary: There was nothing more he wanted than to go all out for this holiday.He’d looked forward to it wistfully for so long, he’d been dreaming of it ages before he’d received a Valentine’s gift he could properly reciprocate outside of obligation.So when he received the tearful and congested phone call just hours before his planned White Day celebration…well.Yoosung Kim wasn’t going to let a sinus infection disrupt his intent to shower his beloved with pent-up affection.





	White Hot Determination

     There was nothing more he wanted than to go all out for this holiday.

     He’d looked forward to it wistfully for so long, he’d been dreaming of it ages before he’d received a Valentine’s gift he could properly reciprocate outside of obligation.

     So when he received the tearful and congested phone call just hours before his planned White Day celebration…well.

     Yoosung Kim wasn’t going to let a sinus infection disrupt his intent to shower his beloved with pent-up affection.

* * *

 

     As he left the market, loading his messenger bag with as many ingredients as it would fit and carrying the rest, he squared his shoulders and entered the apartment building with determination. Once he got off on the correct floor, he made his way over his girlfriend’s apartment, knocking politely before entering the door code a moment later.

     To his relief, she hadn’t wasted energy getting out of bed—but that in itself was a bit of a concern. Setting the groceries down on the modest counter, he pulled out the honey citron tea and prepared a cup before easing his way over to the bedroom door. Knocking twice, Yoosung cleared his throat before announcing himself.

“Delivery for the cutest girl alive?”

     There was a low groan that faded into a tiny whimper—almost too painful for him to withstand—but he forced himself to stay calm and do as his mother and the internet suggested. Carefully opening the door, he spoke quietly in case of sound sensitivity.

“Hey…can you sit up?”

     The pile of blankets he assumed contained his girlfriend shifted; slowly, she began to emerge amidst a pile of crumpled tissues.

“Yoo…Yoosung…? Oh no…don’t…don’t cry! I didn’t mean to…to ruin…*hic*”

     Setting the cup of tea down, Yoosung bent down to better see her face.

“Honey, what do you mean? Why would I cry?”

     He watched her slowly blink and turn her watery gaze to him.

“You’re not…?’ she slurred, fingers tapping at her own face,’—oh. S’me…sorry.”

     Struck with sympathy, Yoosung couldn’t help the pitying laughter as he took a fresh tissue and dabbed at her eyes. Laying the back of his hand against her forehead, Yoosung clicked his tongue and went to retrieve a cool washcloth to wipe her flushed skin, hoping that it might wake her up just enough to speak more lucidly.

“No more apologies, there’s nothing to be sorry for! I’m really happy I—well, I’m not happy you’re sick, but I’m happy to prove that I can be a reliable man and take care of you for White Day!”  
  
     He beamed at her brightly; to his dismay, her lip quivered and her eyes welled quickly, spilling hot tears over her already raw skin.

“Y-you shouldn’t—*hic*–have to t-take care of me like a—a baby! Not f-for our fir—*hic*—first White Day! “

     Yoosung rushed forward, brushing all the used tissue into the trash can before settling on the edge of the bed. Her reaction was oddly dramatic as she yanked up another blanket over her nose and mouth protectively; Yoosung could only conclude that she not only felt physically awful, but overwhelmingly guilty about this faultless predicament.

“Honey, no…don’t think like that! I really did want to show you I can take care of you when you need me! After all, you were helping me so much even before we started dating…won’t you let me return the favor?”

     Her brows furrowed over the blanket trim, but Yoosung was nearly positive that he’d made his point if the increased blush wasn’t just a byproduct of her stubborn fever. To his relief, he noted that her tears had slowed, and he could see more composure as her eyes cleared.

“I…okay, I’m just,’ sighing, she dropped one corner of the comforter to shove a messy lock of hair back over her shoulder,’…it’s my first proper White Day too. I—I wanted to be…cute…”

     Yoosung twisted the fabric of his pants as he contained the urge to squeal; flushed skin, tired eyes and ratty hair—internally, he was screaming.

_‘She’s adorable!!’_

“No problem there!’ he chirped, placing the warm mug of tea in her hand, ‘I’m doing my best not to…to…is that my t-shirt?”

     The mug was halfway to her lips behind the blanket when she hesitated and raised the sheet until it was directly under her eyes. She took a small sip as if to steady herself before a calmer sort of blush teased over the edge of her ears.

“…I didn’t think I’d be able to see you today, so…when I found the shirt you left here after spilling juice that other night, I…,’ she shifted her gaze before staring at a spot on the floor, ‘… I was going to give it back after washing it, I promise!”

_‘Oh no—I can’t! It’s too much!’_

     Yoosung’s hands shook as he clapped them over his mouth to contain the keening wail that threatened to escape.

“You’re not mad…are you?”

     Restraint hanging by a thread, Yoosung leapt to his feet.

“Cutie, you’re not fair—you keep making me want to cuddle you even though you might be sore and I could get sick.”

     Eyeing his convincing pout blearily, the sickly woman tentatively lowered the covering to stare at the blonde questioningly.

“You’re not serious?”

     He nodded curtly, winking his bad eye at her with a teasing smile.

“Super serious—you have to get better before I can’t resist anymore,’ Yoosung laughed, grinning when his antics rewarded him with a reluctant smile as she averted her eyes, ‘—but for now, you’re in my hands for today, so finish the tea and then I’ll figure out which medicines will work best for you!”

“Goddammit, you’re so…haahh I love you…”

     Though muffled and faint, the words hit his ears nonetheless; Yoosung tripped, barely catching himself on the bathroom doorframe as he’d already turned to wash his hands. Though he cringed at his clumsiness, her raspy giggle made it worthwhile.

     After a dosage of nasal spray, pain reliever and sleep aid; Yoosung wiped down her face gently before sticking a chilled gel patch over her forehead to speed up the fever recovery. Quickly replacing the tea mug with a cup of freshly prepared doenjang , he waited for her to finish the soup before giving a little sip of water to wash the saltiness down.

     Yoosung was relieved to see that his Mother’s suggested schedule was almost psychic in this scenario—by the time he’d put away the dishes and she had gone to the bathroom, the medication began to take effect just as she slipped back beneath the covers. Tucking the freshly brushed strands away from her face, Yoosung held himself back from pressing his lips to her face, and re-routed to the bit of forehead not covered by the adhesive patch, securing the blanket around her shoulders until her shivering subsided.

     Tiptoeing to the bedroom entryway, Yoosung waited until he saw her chest rise and fall in a steady rhythm before shutting the door behind him.

* * *

 

     Several hours later, Yoosung plopped on the couch as he waited for the components of a restorative Japanese ochazuke recipe to finish cooking; he cast an eye around the thoroughly cleaned apartment and felt a satisfied smile surging from within. He’d never thought of it before, but it really did seem logical that one of the best aids for recovery would be a clean home to recuperate in. At the very least, it was one less thing for his cherished girlfriend to fret over as soon as she was back on her feet.

     The timer chimed and Yoosung sprang up to remove the baked salted salmon from the oven to shred and arrange it over a bed of rice and crushed seaweed crackers. Setting  the bowl on a tray, he proceeded to load it up with a glass of water, a smaller glass of peach juice, the teapot for the entrée, and a napkin-wrapped spoon.

     Not wanting to make an unnecessary trip, he tapped the bedroom door lightly before popping his head in. Thankfully, she appeared to be awake though not in a hurry to move from the soft pillows. Yoosung stepped in, grinning before turning on the bathroom switch to mercifully filter the amount of light; though pale, her skin seemed less feverish. The closer he drew to her, the more she pulled the blanket over her face and Yoosung finally realized she was trying to prevent him from catching her germs.

“Don’t worry, cutie—I took some immunity boosting vitamins before I came here,’ he swooped to plant another kiss on her forehead, delighting in her fidgety squirming, ‘—do you think you can eat a little bit?”

     Peering at him over the plush barrier, the woman nodded gently.

“A bit—my stomach kinda burns a little, but I couldn’t stand long enough to cook anything,” she admitted sheepishly. Yoosung winced, pressing another kiss to her crown as she eased herself up on the pillows for support.

“I’m sorry didn’t get here sooner—but you can call me from now on when you get sick!”

     She made a noncommittal groan under the covering; Yoosung poked her cheek before retrieving the tray he’d pre-set. When he re-entered the bedroom, the tray was now additionally loaded with a small bud vase holding a cut stem of plum blossoms and a small folded paper box.

“Yoosung, you didn’t need to go this far! Are you trying to be a butler?”

     His grin dropped dramatically as he shook his head.

“Only for you—what if I got hired by somebody like Seven—have you heard the crazy stuff he has his maid clean up?”

     Snorting with laughter, she sat up when Yoosung lowered the tray carefully to her lap, watching him pour the tea into the rice bowl with interest…then her eyes fell on the paper box. It sat there, poised neatly next to the sprig of plum blossoms. Shyly nudging at it, she sighed when Yoosung only beamed brightly until he was directly addressed.

“Yoosung…what’s this?”

     His eyes sparkled with intense excitement; this had clearly been the moment he’d waited for all along.

“I’m glad you asked! I was nervous to get it, but I think it might end up being useful right now actually—go ahead and open it!”

     The color fluttered in her cheeks before she overpowered the self-conscious feelings of being on the spot; setting the lid aside, her fingers extracted a pair of hairclips sporting a crescent moon and a cloud with a dangling star and raindrop twinkling beneath. Chuckling hoarsely, she pulled a hanging lock of hair from her face as Yoosung assisted in clipping it back.

“Hm…yep! It’s even cuter now that you’re wearing it,” Yoosung nodded to himself in satisfaction. Dipping her head in embarrassment, the woman looked up with a doubtful smile.

“I’m full of snot and look like a ghoul—“

“—A  _cute_  ghoul! And since I know you don’t like congee, I found this recipe that should calm your throat and help your sinuses a little bit…so maybe you’ll be less full of snot then?”

“Oh my go—you’re impossible!” she scoffed, spluttering before shoving a spoonful of the dish into her mouth. While this version of the recipe was on the bland side, it was perfect for recovery and soothing to her scratchy throat while highlighting the saltiness of the salmon and seaweed crumbled over it.

     As she devoured the meal, Yoosung felt bubbling relief to see that his research had paid off and her appetite had finally returned; with any luck, she would be on the mend in a day or two.  Finally, the spoon clinked against empty ceramic and his patient discreetly turned to wipe at her mouth while sipping the peach juice, slumping back against the pillows with a relaxed sigh.

“For some reason, I feel cleaner…” she breathed, turning to him with a tired smile.

“It does, right? Apparently there is a version that uses fish stock in place of the tea, but I thought it would be better for your body to recover faster for now.”

     She considered his thoughtful explanation as her smile grew; she leaned toward him before hesitating and pulling back. Yoosung caught the action and curiously stared while pulling the rest of her hair back behind her shoulders.

“What is it?” he asked, tracing his fingers back down her arm. Fidgeting slightly under his gaze, Yoosung drew little circles along her skin until she came out with it.

“…I…want to…mm…cuddle…”

     The last bit was mumbled almost inaudibly, but Yoosung felt his cheeks warm.

“Good, I was hoping to—“

“—But I don’t want you to get sick, so…I’m stuck.”

     They both sat on the bed, pondering this dilemma when Yoosung was struck with an idea. Snatching the cashmere throw slung over the desk chair in the corner, he held it up for her approval and she quickly moved the tray to her night stand; taking a seat between the pillows, he opened his legs and the blanket to fold her into it once she leaned back into his arms.

     Revealing her bare legs as she left the covers, Yoosung stiffened slightly; trying to drape the excess over the exposed limbs while she fiddled with the Gamestation controller and turned on the monitor for something to watch.

“Honey, shouldn’t you keep warm?”

     His cough wasn’t particularly subtle, but she said nothing, choosing to snuggle closer.

“I’m plenty warm like this…you really are the White Day champion,” she murmured, leaning in comfortably. Once again, Yoosung struggled to keep from cheering out loud, but he held it in for her sake.

“Hehe, well—I was excited to do this, even if it was different than planned.”

“I’m still mad I got sick though.”

    Laughing softly, he shushed her with a kiss to the top of her head and they let the movie play on.

 

* * *

 

     The only thing Yoosung  _didn’t_  plan for was how to safely move his sleeping beauty when her body demanded more restful recuperation. While there was nothing scandalous about the context of how he ended up in her bed, Yoosung could only hope she wouldn’t wake up offended over the matter.

     She was far too comfortable to disturb and well…Yoosung couldn’t imagine a better end to his first White Day than having her at peace in his arms. He had probably earned enough points to be forgiven  _tomorrow_.

**Author's Note:**

> If you're curious, the recipe used for recovery is [here](https://www.justonecookbook.com/ochazuke/)! I tend to use half stock and half tea for a nice herbal note.


End file.
